Immunology

Question 1

What are the physcial barriers to infection in the skin?

Answer 1

keratinocytes secrete antimicrobial peptides - defensives

sebaceous/sweat glands secrete microbe inhibiting substances - fatty acids

Question 2

What are the physcial barriers to infection in the mucosa of the respiratory/GI/GU tract?

Answer 2

antimicrobial substances - lysozyme
secretory IgA
gastric acid

Question 3

What two immune cells are termed phagocytes?

Answer 3

neutrophils and macrophages

Question 4

What is the role of phagocytes?

Answer 4

ingest organisms following respiration

Question 5

What does failure of phagocytes to function lead to?

Answer 5

haemotological malignancy

cytotoxic chemo

Question 6

What is the role of CD4 T lymphocytes?

Answer 6

activates phagocytes to kill microbes

Question 7

What is the role of CD8?

Answer 7

destroys infected cells containing microbes or microbial proteins

Question 8

What are T lymphocyte deficiencies seen in?

Answer 8

HIV infection - aquired CD4 deficiency
lymphoma
primary immunodeficency syndromes

Question 9

What do B cells mature into and produce?

Answer 9

plasma cells

produce immunoglobulins

Question 10

Which immunoglobulin is produced first in response to recognised antigens?

Answer 10

IgM

Question 11

Which immunoglobulin is produced second in response to recognised antigens?

Answer 11

IgG

Question 12

What diseases are B cell deficiencies seen in?

Answer 12

myeloma

primary immunodeficiency syndromes

Question 13

How does HIV infections affect the immune system?

Answer 13

infects CD4 cells resulting in cell mediated immunity being deficient

Question 14

What are HIV patients at a higher risk of?

Answer 14

invasive pneumococcal disease

Question 15

What antibiotic is given to HIV patients for prophylaxis against infections?

Answer 15

co-trimoxazole

Question 16

What are pathogens are HIV patients with a CD4 <350 most susceptible to?

Answer 16

mycobacterium tuberculosis

candidiasis

Question 17

What are pathogens are HIV patients with a CD4 <200 most susceptible to?

Answer 17

pneumocystis jiroveci

toxoplasma gondii

Question 18

What are pathogens are HIV patients with a CD4 <100 most susceptible to?

Answer 18

cryptococcus neoformans

cytomegalovirus

Question 19

What can cause hyposplensim?

Answer 19

sickle cell
cirrhosis
coeliac disease
functional hyposplenism

Question 20

What bugs are patients with hyposplenism most susceptble to?

Answer 20

strep pneumoniae
H.influenzae type B
nisseria menignitis

Question 21

What are the different features of an old persons immune system?

Answer 21

less complement produced

less antibody produced

Question 22

What are people on steroids more susceptible to?

Answer 22

fungal infections - aspergillus, candida

Question 23

What are people on anti TNF therapies more susceptible to?

Answer 23

mycobacterium tuberculosis

aspergillus - fungals

Question 24

What are people on purine analogues more susceptible to?

Answer 24

pneumocystis jiroveci

viral infections

Question 25

What is given for prophylaxis against infection in bone marrow transplant patients?

Answer 25

itraxonazole

Question 26

Who recieves influenza and strep pneumoniae vaccines?

Answer 26

pregnant women
>65
immunocomprimised
chronic heart/kidney/liver/lung/diabetes

Question 27

Who receives H.influenzae type B vaccination?

Answer 27

all children